4 Factors That Affect The Value Of A California Personal Injury Case
Accidental injuries are a part of life in California’s Bay Area, but you might be shocked to learn how common it is for victims to suffer serious bodily harm. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 39.5 million people visit their doctor for treatment of unintentional injuries every year. Another 24.5 million victims seek care in hospital emergency rooms after being involved in motor vehicle collisions, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, and other incidents.
If you were hurt in a personal injury accident that was someone else’s fault, you might initially be focused on the pain. However, you may sustain losses you never expected in the weeks and months that follow; you could even be permanently disabled. It should be a relief to know that you have legal options for recovering compensation, and the amount is linked to multiple variables that your Oakland personal injury attorney can describe in detail. They include:
- Out-of-Pocket Costs and Losses: One category of compensation is termed “economic” damages, and it includes the definite, ascertainable losses stemming from an accident. A large portion will be your medical bills, including surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and pain medications. Lost wages also fall in this category. The total amount of your economic damages will be a key focus when determining how much you might qualify to receive as compensation.
- Your Injuries: A second classification of compensation is your non-economic losses, to which a specific dollar value does not apply. This is because the consequences of accidental injuries are subjective and personal for victims. The severity and nature of your injuries are crucial factors, since they relate to your pain and suffering – a major component of non-economic damages.
- Circumstances Surrounding the Accident: There are certain scenarios in which an accident does not give rise to a personal injury claim or lawsuit, though you may have rights through other legal proceedings. For instance, if you were hurt in a workplace accident, your sole remedy through the California workers’ compensation system. By law, you cannot recover for pain and suffering, so a work-related incident would be a factor that affects the value of your case.
Consult with an Oakland Personal Injury Lawyer About Compensation Factors
These are just a few factors that impact the amount of monetary damages in a personal injury case, and you can trust our team at Venardi Zurada, LLP to tackle the specifics. To learn more, please contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation at our offices in Oakland or Walnut Creek, CA.
Resource:
cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/accidental-injury.htm
